Winter
by reihino4
Summary: Snippets from Rei and Jadeite's life. The moments that rip at them and the moments when they're free to love.
1. Rei

"Rei, Rei, Rei! Aren't you listening? You're too short to climb up that tree you'll get stuck and then your mom and dad will be mad at you."

"No they won't Jade! Anyways, it's not too hard, you did it after all and I'm much better than you." She stuck out her tongue and continued to scoot her way up to the nearest branch.

"I'm not coming to get you if you get stuck!" he hollered to her.

"I don't need you to anyways! I'm a big girl; I don't see why mommy wants me to play with you anyways."

He looked down at his feet and shuffled them while muttering "Yeah, I don't really see why I should hang out with a kid like you either, little runt."

"Hey! I'm only four years younger than you! And only three for most of the winter!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" He looked up from his position, staring at the tree; he saw her little figure perched near the highest branch of the tree. Her little limbs clinging to the rough bark. "Rei! Don't go up that high, you won't be able to come down afterwards!"

"It's okay Jade, I've got great balance, and papa even says so when I'm at dance." She closed her eyes shut and swung her leg over the thick arm of the branch. Not afraid of anything…

"Wow! Jade, you've got to come up and see this. I can see your house! And there's your school, and hey! I think I see Mr. Takashi coming home from grocery shopping."

"No way! Alright, I'm coming up"

He took less than half the time the five year old to get up the tree. With the upper body strength and the height that would help him greatly.

"Wow, Rei, this is really cool I can see the mountains!" he shouted and pointed towards the blue outline of the natural formations. The sun set slowly and a beautiful red fog encased the distant scenery.

She beamed, even if they did bicker, she always wanted the approval of her playmate. He was just like a big brother to her.

"Look! Grandpa lives there! He's so nice; I think Momma's going to take me there next week. Papa's going out of town for a few days. He says he has to work." She looked sullen for a few minutes before she looked back up at her playmate.

"You'll come visit won't you?" He looked at her shining wine colored eyes, not wanting to disappoint. It looked like she would cry if he said he couldn't.

"Sure, I think my mom is going to go to take me there when during the summer, she owes me a trip before school starts after all."

"Good, I don't think I'd have any fun if I didn't have someone to beat every day. Race you down the tree!" She announced as she crawled past him and towards the trunk of the tree.

"Whatever runt" He looked off to the west and saw the setting sun and the disappearing red shimmer of light.

--


	2. Jade

"Jade! Momma, she's sick." The eight year old looked far older than she should have. Her silken strands of hair hung in front of her face, hiding the tears that were slowly spilling from her alabaster skin.

It was a surprise that she had not frozen, it looked as if she had been outside waiting for someone. The only evidence that there was something relatively alive was the warm puff of air that escaped her mouth every time she huffed in some air as she cried.

"What happened?" He looked alarmed, although he had known for a while that his little playmate's mother was always in a fragile condition and made a point to visit the poor girl when he left school.

"She, I don't know, she's just not moving! Jade, help! Papa's not home and I don't know what to do. I called him and he said he was sending the doctor. But no one's here yet!" The frightened girl practically wailed.

"Alright, come on, I'll see what I can do." He pulled Rei with him into the room expecting the worst.

A woman in her early thirties with a striking resemblance to Rei was sprawled on a white bed. Everything besides her position seemed so neat and precise. Her body seemed to lifelessly lie there, with one arm to the side and the other clutching her breast. Her head was down much like Rei's was when she was greeted by Jadeite.

"Rei, get some water!" A stern looking man from outside the room ordered. The man then proceeded to check the woman's vitals and took her temperature. As the girl regained her bearings she shuffled out of the room with Jadeite following.

"She'll be alright Rei, the doctor's here now" The young boy reassured.

"She has to be Jade…but, she looks so weak." It looked like the girl was about to break.

"It's okay Rei, I'll be here to help you. O.K.?"

The girl nodded and moved back towards the room where her ailing mother was. However she stopped before she reached the hall because of the voice of the practitioner.

"Meko, you should be taking your pills, if you keep this up longer…"

"It doesn't matter, it'll happen anyways, even if I do take the pills." A weak but bitter voice spoke out.

"But every year matters with your little Rei."

Sobs could be heard throughout the house.

--


	3. Papa

"Papa! I can't leave!" The nine year old girl screamed. She was frantic and afraid that everything would indeed change.

"Your momma's gone now Rei, you can't stay here. WE can't stay here." The man seemed cold and not at all influenced by anything his daughter had to say.

"But Papa! Momma's here! And Jade's here!" The girl crumpled at her father's feet. Her hands still held tightly in his grip.

"I have to work, Rei, please understand!"

"But Papa…Momma's still here."

"She's gone Rei, she's not here anymore! And I can't do this; we're going to your grandpa's. He has room for you there."

"But Papa!"

"No Rei, we're going!"

--


	4. Momma

"Momma..." It had been three days since his granddaughter arrived. She had very little in the way of spirit when she arrived; her entire life seemed to have crumbled.

The argument with his son was still fresh in his mind. He knew for a very long time that his son would never be strong enough to live through the hardships of marriage none the less fatherhood, but the idea of abandoning his child sickened the older man.

"You will not leave your child when she needs you most!" He was furious with the man.

"Meko would have wanted it this way. Father, I have no choice. There is no way I could be successful at my career and take care of a child. Not without Meko's help." The pleading was even worse than the old man could handle. Before he could object and reason that this would be damaging to their relationship - his son opened the door to the black town car to reveal his granddaughter. She was void of emotion, so different from the girl that would visit him monthly.

"Rei" He called from outside her door.

"Come in grandpa." She sniffed from her room.

"Rei, would you like to see your grandmother and your mother?"

"What do you mean? Grandma's gone so is mama." The girl's tear stained face looked up the kind old man she always felt safe around.

"No, no Rei-chan, they're here and always will be." He gave a gentle smile and indicated that she should follow him. They moved passed the main room and through a corridor, that looked out into a side garden, into a large room that was a fair length away from the main house. Her surprise was hardly contained; the room was filled with a deep golden glow that emitted from a roaring fire in the middle of the room. The room, as far as she could tell was empty besides the roaring fire.

"Rei, look over at the far end of the wall."

The young girl had to strain her eyes and squinted pass the flickering embers. There on the far wall were two scrolls that cascaded all the way down to the floor.

"Come, come, and look over here." Shuffling over to the wall he gently moved his hands over a few names until it stopped on Hino Meko.

"Mama." The young girl whispered in awe.

"Yes, yes, every time someone dies we help them move along to peace. They'll never be lost Rei-chan, not to us." He smiled sadly at his beautiful granddaughter; she was so much like her mother but she had her father's spirit when he was still young - so determined and so lively.

"Grandpa?" The young girl looked up excitedly. "Could I speak to her again? Can I tell her that I love her and that I forgive her?"

"Of course you can dear. Of course you can. When I want to channel spirit and become closer to _kami_ I meditate in front of this fire Rei. You might find that more help than me."

"Grandpa? Can you teach me how to meditate?" The old man could not help but beam. When his son renounced all the old traditions and life at the shrine he felt like there was no way back into his life. But now, now there was hope.

--

I thought I'd mention that I don't know much about Shintoism so if I got any of that wrong I'm very sorry. And if anyone knows more than me about the topic then I'd love to know. Anyways sorry about the late updates! But I hope you enjoy this. Please Read and review.


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